International Design Excellence Awards

The International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) began in 1980. They celebrate the pinnacle of design achievement year after year and are a catalyst for the designers fortunate enough to win. Trends will come and go, but one thing endures … winning an IDEA is a career-defining moment and positions winners instantaneously in the global spotlight. Each year hundreds entries are submitted across a wide-ranging span of categories, making IDEA one of the largest and most eagerly anticipated annual awards programs in existence.

A jury of world-renowned designers representing a cross-section of design disciplines is assembled every year and descends upon The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI for the final judging stages. Finalist entries are meticulously evaluated in a blind setting with incredible attention to detail and rigor. Point values are assigned and tabulated based upon excellence of: design innovation; user experience; benefit to the client; benefit to society and appropriate aesthetics.

IDEA 2019 will open for entry Jan. 2, 2019.

IDEA is a benchmark of design and is unweathered by shifting fads or transitory styling. Gold winners are housed in the permanent collection at the Henry Ford Museum, remaining an ever-present symbol of ingenuity and mastery of craft. Excellence is exemplified.

Maaike Evers, IDSA, co-founder of Mike & Maaike, is leading the 2019 jury that includes forty experts in a wide variety of design disciplines from some of the world’s largest corporations, major design studios and leading universities.

"I truly feel fortunate to have the unique overview of this year's state of our prolific culture and all the products and experiences it produces. I look forward to working with the IDSA, the jurors and The Henry Ford to curate the incredible achievements of this year’s entries for the 39th annual IDEA competition!"

—IDEA 2019 Jury Chair Maaike Evers, IDSA

Many of the world's most recognized brands and celebrated design firms are IDEA winners.